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Michael Reardon, rock climber is swept away by rogue wave

Michael Reardon, a world renowned Southern California free solo rock climber who scaled towering cliff faces without a rope, was presumed dead after a rogue wave swept him into the sea Friday on an island off the southwest coast of Ireland.

The 42-year-old Oak Park, Calif.-based Reardon, known as a free soloist for scaling cliffs equipped only with sticky rubber-soled shoes and a chalk bag to keep his hands dry, had just finished two successful cliff climbs on the small island of Valentia when he disappeared into the sea.

"It was just another day of climbing on Atlantic sea cliffs in Ireland with Mike," photographer Damon Corso said in a first-person account on http://www.climbing.com . "Mike took me around the bottom of Wireless Point to an inlet merely 15 feet above the roaring Atlantic."

After Reardon finished his two cliff climbs, Corso said, he "was waiting on an algae-covered platform for the big swells to pass by so that he could walk back over to me on the opposite side of the inlet. A rogue wave came into the inlet and curved rightwards as it crashed into Mike.

"He tried to stabilize himself on the platform but the water was too powerful and sucked him in. The current pulled Mike out 150-plus meters in mere seconds. I ran up the hill to the Valentia Coast Guard station a mile away. Mike was still conscious in the water when I left him."

The Coast Guard arrived no more than 15 minutes after Reardon was swept out to sea, Corso said, but Reardon was nowhere to be seen. By evening, he said, 12 volunteer rescue boats, the Coast Guard lifeboat and a helicopter were on the scene.

As divers continued to search for Reardon's body, the Irish Independent reported that on Tuesday up to 150 people

Re: Michael Reardon, rock climber is swept away by rogue wav

Originally Posted by Iceaxe

In 2005, Reardon gained further renown as a climber for completing the first solo ascent of Romantic Warrior, a climbing route in the California Needles, which are granite spires in the southern Sierra.

Controversial, to say the least. There's a pretty large contingent of folks who cast some measure of doubt on this.

Sad deal. He was a heck of a nice person. Got a chance to see his show at the Ogden climb fest awhile back. Was great, and, he was very available later on for BS'ing.

He signed my Fifty Favorite Climbs book, on the Romantic Warrior page, "blondes have more fun".

Wierd deal. Will miss seeing him and his energy at the OR show here in SLC.

Re: Michael Reardon, rock climber is swept away by rogue wav

["and safety was always his prime concern. There is no one I'd rather have trusted my life to. It's kind of ironic, I suppose, after he just got done with a hard climb, that he'd go the way he did."

Um . . . no. Free soloists always die first. Safety is obvously not their prime concern. Just makes me think of our friend from Austin that we lost last year in Chico. I believe he was FSing a 5.6, but holds break, feet slip, etc.

I don't mean to disrespect the departed, but if it hadn't been a rogue wave, it would have been a broken hold.

Re: Michael Reardon, rock climber is swept away by rogue wav

Originally Posted by price1869

Um . . . no. Free soloists always die first. Safety is obvously not their prime concern. Just makes me think of our friend from Austin that we lost last year in Chico. I believe he was FSing a 5.6, but holds break, feet slip, etc.

I don't mean to disrespect the departed, but if it hadn't been a rogue wave, it would have been a broken hold.

I think Jimmy was on a 5.9. Know someone who had dinner with him the night before he died. Pretty sad deal and a well liked guy by all accounts.

I dunno. There's a ton of folks out there who solo that haven't bought the farm. Look at Croft and Bachar, for instance. And many many more.

It wasn't like Michael was pushing it, in terms of difficulty, either.

I'd hazard a guess that most of these well known, high end soloists are much safer without a rope on in some of that terrain than most of us would be with a rope on. And, its not like he never used a rope.

Safety is kind of a relative thing. And, its amazing what some folks get comfortable doing. Easy to pass judgement especially from a certain "place".

From Blade Runner:

Tyrell: You were made as well as we could make you.
Batty: But not to last.
Tyrell: The light that burns twice as bright burns for half as long and you have burned so very, very brightly Roy. Look at you, you're the prodigal son, you're quite a prize.
Batty: I've done questionable things.
Tyrell: Also extraordinary things, revel in your time.
Batty: Nothing the God of bio-mechanics wouldn't put you in heaven for.

Batty: Quite an experience to live in fear, isn't it? That's what it is to be a slave!

Re: Michael Reardon, rock climber is swept away by rogue wav

Originally Posted by hank moon

i tend to agree. revealing choice of words, "rogue"
obviously no ocean swell can reasonably be characterized as rogue.
a rock climber way out of his element - that's prolly closer to the truth, I imagine. maybe the prospective DeepWaterSoloist should get a solid background in coast-a-neering before engaging in DWS.

Well, his partner, a resident of the area, has said "rogue".

Article from the Irish press said "freak" wave.

Irish press also said, "Although described as a rogue wave, such waves are not infrequent against the high cliffs along the north face of Valentia island, particularly in winter. A number of people, including anglers, have lost their lives having been been swept out to sea from high ledges."

They weren't deep water soloing, per se. But, soloing cliff faces on or near the ocean, but, not really DWS like you see Sharma et al doing in the videos from Mallorca, for instance, where if you fall, you end up swimmin' in the drink.

He'd been to Ireland before. And, this was on the tail end of a month long trip.

Maybe the prospective internet sprayer should read up on the issue prior to casting disparaging judgement on a dead person.

-Brian in SLC

Tragic irony of climber swept out to sea by freak wave

Sunday July 15 2007

NIAMH HORAN

THE devastated photographer friend of world-famous rock climber Michael Reardon, who was swept away by a freak wave while standing on a flat ledge along the coast of Kerry, has spoken of the tragic irony of the incident.

"The sad irony of it was that Michael wasn't climbing at the time. He was standing about a metre away from the sea on a flat ledge, which was only about three feet over the Atlantic, when a rogue wave came and knocked him over," said Con Moriarty.

"It buckled his knees so he fell onto his back and slid down an algae ledge and into the surf where he was unable to get back again. He was carried by a current and was last seen a few hundred metres out, shouting and waving."

Mr Reardon, an American in his early 30s and one of the world's leading free solo climbers, was staying with Mr Moriarty at the foot of the Macgillycuddy's Reeks, Co Kerry, during a month-long visit to the area, designed to promote Irish adventure holidays to the US market.

"We were to have dinner later that night," the stunned photographer explained. "He was anxious to taste some malt whiskey before he went home. He was here for a month and due to go home yesterday."

Mr Reardon is part of a group of extreme climbers who shun equipment such as ropes and crampons and instead use only their hands and boots to scale rock faces hundreds of feet high.

Mr Reardon's wife Marcy and daughter Nicky, 13, are due to arrive in Ireland today to wait for word on the outcome of the massive sea and air rescue operation.

THE wife and teenage daughter of the world-famous American climber who was swept out to sea off the Kerry coast are clinging to hope that he is still alive.

Michael Reardon's wife, Marci and their daughter, Nicki (13) arrived in Ireland from Los Angeles at lunchtime yesterday and went straight to the cliff where he was last seen.

There they met with rescue personnel involved in the search and watched as efforts to find the climber continued.

Marci and Nicki are said to be hopeful that Michael is still alive as he is a particularly strong swimmer and a superbly fit man.

A vigil is to be held for his safe return tomorrow in Valentia. The family were accompanied yesterday by Kerry mountaineer, Con Moriarty, a close friend of the missing man.

Meanwhile, it has emerged that the photographer who was with Mr Reardon when he fell into the sea tried to throw him a rope. Visual contact was also maintained with Mr Reardon for some moments and he also responded to calls.

The photographer then ran to alert the local lifeboat which was immediately launched.

The 35-year-old extreme rock climber, regarded as one of the world's leading free solo climbers - he scaled great heights around the world without the aid of ropes - was washed out to sea on Valentia Island on Friday shortly after 5pm.

Early reports suggested he had slipped and fallen. However, he had just completed a climb on the cliff face at Dohilla and was standing almost at sea level at the time.

Although described as a rogue wave, such waves are not infrequent against the high cliffs along the north face of Valentia island, particularly in winter. A number of people, including anglers, have lost their lives having been been swept out to sea from high ledges.

Over the past month, Michael Reardon had climbed throughout Ireland at leading crags, from Fair Head in Co Antrim to the Gap of Dunloe in Kerry.

Earlier this year he had completed difficult climbs in the Rockies. He featured regularly on the front covers of leading climbing magazines and he had a huge following.

Divers from the navy and garda completed a number of dives yesterday at the spot from which he was carried and for the third day in a row, the Shannon-based Sikorsky helicopter scanned the area.

A film maker and writer, Michael Reardon had his own website, subtitled "Life Without Limits". In it, he describes his wife Marci as his "best friend".

ROCK climber Michael Reardon pushed himself to the limit of his abilities, but ships were never meant to remain in harbours.

Tribute was paid to the fearless way the solo climber lived his life, at a moving ceremony on the cliff-top overlooking his last dramatic climb on Valentia Island, Co Kerry yesterday.

Up to 150 people gathered in sunshine to pay their respects to the 35-year-old American who was washed out to sea on Friday, after scaling the cliff-face twice.

A hundred feet below, Navy and Garda sub-aqua teams scoured the sea-bed for any trace of the man renowned among climbers and mountaineers for his daring exploits without ropes or safety equipment.

A traditional lament on harp and tin whistle opened the ceremony attended by the missing man's wife Marci, their 13-year-old daughter Nicki, close friends, members of the rescue services, the gardai, local people and well-known figures from the sporting and climbing worlds.

These included the mountain-running champion John Lenihan and Kerry football great and island native Mick O'Connell.

Father Kevin McNamara, a curate attached to Killarney parish, led the prayers. Michael Reardon "wouldn't hurt a rock by putting a claw into it", in order to preserve it for future generations, he said.

He had left a mark that would never be forgotten. He had pushed things to the limit. A ship was safe when in harbour, but that was not what ships were for, the priest said.

West Kerry GP and poet Micheal Fanning read two of his poems: 'I run with the winds and moods', which he dedicated to Mr Reardon's daughter, and 'Odysseus', a poem about daring people and those waiting for them, dedicated to Marci Reardon.

Extraordinary

Among many contributors, Mr Reardon's friend and mountaineer Con Moriarty, with whom he stayed while in Kerry, said people had gathered to honour "a beautiful man" and a "truly extraordinary" climber. "I saw him as an artist," he added.

Towards the end of the ceremony, Nicki, tearful throughout the hour-long ceremony, spoke briefly of her father who was "louder" than most people and larger than life.

Flowers were brought to the scene along with a plaque made of local Valentia slate. A haunting rendition on the bagpipes of the Blasket island elegy 'Port na bPucai', an air said to echo the journey of the departing soul, ended the ceremony.

Those on the cliff waved to the divers on the boats below.

Mr Moriarty asked for prayers that the ongoing search would bring closure for Mr Reardon's friends and family.

Re: Michael Reardon, rock climber is swept away by rogue wav

Originally Posted by Brian in SLC

Maybe the prospective internet sprayer should read up on the issue prior to casting disparaging judgement on a dead person.

1. you're talking about yourself again, brian. I read a lot about this death since the day it happened and before anything was published in the media concerning it. you can subscribe to my insider newsletter for the lolo price of $19.99 - that's right - just $19.99. pm me if nterstd.

2. It's not spray (or even "rogue spray") The reason I posted the rogue thing was to call attention to a possible bias in reportage on the deceased. We have a tendency to idolize, forgive all, etc. after someone dies. After all, what good trashing the dead?

It's educational (as opposed to disparaging the dead - I have not done that, Brian, so quit twisting). Mike probably died due more to his own error/inattention/inexperience than to a so-called "rogue wave" - 'nuff sed.

I think the same of the Knotted Rope death and this Mike thing was a handy bleed-over with less obvious denial, but i view "rogue wave" as a form of denial. Here's a sample of the denial-rich reportage on that death:

SL Tribune article excerpts
An experienced rock climber died over the weekend. when she fell into a pool of water in a remote San Rafael Swell canyon

Re: Michael Reardon, rock climber is swept away by rogue wav

Originally Posted by hank moon

1. you're talking about yourself again, brian. I read a lot about this death since the day it happened and before anything was published in the media concerning it. you can subscribe to my insider newsletter for the lolo price of $19.99 - that's right - just $19.99. pm me if nterstd.

Wow, you're devine. Was missing and not even presumed dead when the story broke.

And, way to trivialize this. You should be proud.

Originally Posted by hank moon

After all, what good trashing the dead?

I'm thinkin' only you can answer that one.

Originally Posted by hank moon

It's educational (as opposed to disparaging the dead - I have not done that, Brian, so quit twisting my words). Mike probably died due more to his own error/inattention/inexperience than to a so-called "rogue wave" - 'nuff sed.

I have no need to twist your words, Hank. They stand just fine on their own. Here again:

Originally Posted by hank moon

i tend to agree. revealing choice of words, "rogue"

obviously no ocean swell can reasonably be characterized as rogue.

a rock climber way out of his element - that's prolly closer to the truth, I imagine. maybe the prospective DeepWaterSoloist should get a solid background in coast-a-neering before engaging in DWS.

Originally Posted by hank moon

I think the same of the Knotted Rope death and this Mike thing was a handy bleed-over...